Prayut set for tour of provinces : PPRP rallies overlap with appearances. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to visit four provinces to follow up on government work over the next two weeks, a move that appears to follow the trail of Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) election campaign rallies which will be held prior to Gen Prayut’s visits. Bangkok Post
Abhisit ‘won’t back’ Prayut return as PM : Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday took a political stance against Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha returning to power as prime minister after the March 24 election, drawing instant criticism from both the anti-regime Pheu Thai Party and the pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP). Bangkok Post
State aid adds to debt : Low-income help is ‘quality’ obligation . The government’s policy to ease access to mortgages for the poor and combating informal loans are factors liable for higher household debt, says Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong. Bangkok Post
Economists predict dip to 2.5% growth in Singapore this year : Private-sector economists have lowered Singapore’s economic growth forecast for 2019 once again, easing slightly from an earlier prediction of 2.6 per cent in December. The Nation
Populism ‘unsustainable’ : Private sector says parties making wild promises; seeks stable post-poll govt . The private sector has warned political parties of budget constraints if they propose contesting populist policies in the coming election while many businesses want to see political stability as a priority. The Nation
Economic future lies in partnering, says Prayut : Future lies as much with asean cooperation as in digital and connectivity, pm tells seminar . Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday shared his proposals for plans and projects that he says would boost investor confidence, including a promise that as the Asean chair this year, the country would drive expansion of the Asean economy to become one of the world’s four largest economic groupings. The Nation
FFP boss off the hook for ‘misleading biography’ : The Election Commission (EC) cleared Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit yesterday of wrongdoing in connection with false biographical information on the party’s website. Bangkok Post
Eco EV turned down by 3 car makers : Toyota, Honda, Nissan ask for 1 year . Three Japanese car makers have passed on joining the government’s scheme to promote electric vehicles, Eco EV, because they are not ready to adopt the new technology and have asked for a one-year extension, says the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). Bangkok Post
China wants EEC estate land : A group of Chinese investors, led by representatives of China’s government, has expressed interest in buying 10,000 rai of industrial estate land in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to create its own community and improve its supply chain in Asean. Bangkok Post
Fitch frets over post-election transition : Developments in the lead-up to Thailand’s election on March 24 underscore the political cleavages that persist as the country returns to civilian rule, says Fitch Ratings. Bangkok Post
